Manganese in Water - Laboratory Test

How can I have your partner laboratory test my water for manganese?

In addition to the basic package, which lets you order a water analysis from our laboratory and covers shipping both ways..., you can order optional specialized analyses.

This manganese analysis measures the amount of manganese in your water in mg/L.

To have your water analyzed:

1. Order the basic kit

2. Order this specific iron analysis

3. Receive the kit at home

4. Send it back to the testing laboratory using the return label provided

5. The laboratory performs the analysis you ordered

5. We supplement the laboratory results with our technical recommendations

The WHO's perspective on manganese in water*

Sources of manganese in water

Naturally present in soil in small amounts, manganese can dissolve in groundwater and contaminate it. It is also present in food in small, harmless amounts. In water, it can be detected by its unpleasant taste and brown or blackish color.

Standards for manganese in water

For manganese, the health-based value is 0.4 mg/l, which is higher than the acceptability threshold of 0.1 mg/l. Above this level, manganese can give water an unpleasant taste and stain ceramic plumbing fixtures and laundry. The presence of manganese also causes deposits to build up in pipes, particularly a type of black precipitate that occurs at concentrations of 0.2 mg/l and above. **

Effects of manganese on the body

Canadian studies suggest a link between manganese in drinking water and neurological disorders in young children exposed to manganese concentrations above 0.05 mg/L. Note that the level becomes truly dangerous when the manganese concentration in water exceeds 0.12 mg/L.

* This paragraph is based in part on the WHO report “Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality”.

**A guideline value is a reference value provided by the WHO.